Toy aircraft



June 4, 1940. BASS I 2,202,978

TOY AIRCRAFT Filed Dec. 8, 1937 lriuanfolz Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in toy aircraft of the heavier than air type. I refer especially to toy airplanes and toy gliders. The main object of my invention is to provide means by which toy airplanes and toy gliders may successfully be catapulted into the air by an external force, either mechanical force or by hand, to a much greater height than heretofore possible and with no undue strain on the wing structure. My invention, by increasing the height or altitude at which above said toys start their flight, greatly enhances their value to the operators of such, as a means of pleasure and education.

The above mentioned object is obtained in a simple manner as follows: I construct and mount the wings in either monoplane or biplane toy airplanes and toy gliders in such a manner as to allow said wing or wings on each side of fuselage to be swung to a position parallel, or approximately so, to said fuselage. With wing structure in above mentioned position along fuselage, toy airplane or glider is catapulted into the air by one of several different methods, i. e., such as by using the recoil force of a flexed rubber strip, a how, a sling, or it may be thrown by hand. As toy airplane or glider ascends into the air a delay action friction drag, which has been previously set, finishes its delay action when the toy airplane or glider is at the top of its trajectory, allowing a flexible rubber strip to exert a pull on the wings, moving them into proper flying position.

The above mentioned delay action may be obtained by various methods, such as by using the 35 drag created by a piston moving in a cylinder, in a direction away from the closed end of said cylinder. A bleeder hole of proper size located in closed end of said cylinder slowly dissipates the partial vacuum as said piston moves away from 40 closed end of cylinder. Drag under this method is completed when said piston emerges from open end of said cylinder, allowing flexible rubber strip to transfer its pull to the wings, thus moving them into a flying position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be made manifest by the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a vertical view of toy glider; Fig. 2, a plan view showing wings in catapulting position (solid lines) and flying position (dotted lines) Fig. 3 shows a View in perspective of the delay action friction drag; Fig. 4 shows a vertical view of a delay action alternative method. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. The fuselage I, in :55 this case of solid material but readily constructed as a covered framework, carries at its rear extremity, conventional elevating rudder 2, and horizontal turning rudder 3. At a proper position along fuselage I, are mounted slotted blocks 4 4, the slots receiving the base of wings 5 5, where 5 said wings are held by pins 6 6, but are free to swing to a sweep back or rearward position as shown by 5 5 (solid lines), the position said wings occupy at the start of ascent. Fastened to the fuselage at I, is flexible rubber strip 8, which dur- 10 ing ascent of toy airplane or glider is exerting a pull on steel wire drag 9, which is held between wooden blocks ID ID, each of which are faced with oiled leather, and are held together, under tension, by rubber band II. Steel wire drag 9, 15 as a result of tension of rubber strip 8, slips slowly from in between blocks I0 Ill. When said steel wire drag 9, is entirely clear of blocks I0 II], the pull of flexible rubber strip 8, is transferred to cord I2, which is also fastened to said rubber strip 20 8. Cord I2 branches before going through guide I3, each branch going to its respective wing 5 5,

to exert a tension that draws or swings wings 5 5 forward into flying or volplaning position.

In Fig. 4, an alternative drag delay method, the operator pushes leather piston I4 into closed end of cylinder I5. Under a tension and fastened to end of connecting rod I6, is rubber strip 8. The pull exerted by rubber strip 8 on piston I4 causes piston I4 to move toward open end of cylinder I5. The partial vacuum formed is relieved by bleeder hole IT. The friction encountered by the air as it passes through bleeder hole I'I determines how fast the partial vacuum is relieved, which, in turn, controls the speed at which the piston l4 moves. Delay action is completed when piston I4 emerges from open end of cylinder I5, transferring the pull of flexible rubber strip 8 to cord I2. Cord l2, as in the friction drag method explained previously pulls wings 5 5 into flying position.

The drawing furnished as part of my application for Letters Patent does not specifically show the application of my invention to toy airplanes. The usual toy airplane is nothing more than a toy glider with the addition of a propeller and a sim- 5 ple means for causing same to rotate. It is an evident fact that the application of my invention would be similar in a toy airplane as in a toy glider, therefore to avoid repetition in said drawing I have used toy glider exclusively throughout the several views.

I claim:

1. A toy flying machine comprising a fuselage wings which are at least in part foldable, an elastic element for swinging the folded wing parts into flying position, a friction drag which holds said foldable wing parts in folded position for a limited period of time.

2. A toy flying machine comprising a fuselage, wings which are at least in part foldable, an elastic element for swinging the folded wing parts into flying position, a friction drag which holds said foldable wing parts in folded position for a pre-determined period of time.

3. A toy flying machine comprising a fuselage, wings which are at least in part foldable, an

elastic element for swinging the folded wing parts into flying position, a suction drag which holds said foldable wing parts in folded position for a limited period of time.

4 A toy flying machine comprising a fuselage, wings which are at least in part foldable, an elastic element for swinging the folded wing parts into flying position, a suction drag which holds said foldable wing parts in folded position for a pre-determined period of time.

ROBERT L. BASS. 

